Editorial: Air passengers deserve a break

Let's face it: Flying is a drag. There are long waits at airports, fears about security, stress about making connecting flights, and concerns about luggage handling.

If passengers can be made to feel more comfortable without jeopardizing safety, the Federal Aviation Administration should get to it.

To that end, an FAA advisory committee is recommending that airline passengers be allowed to use their smartphones, tablets, e-readers and other electronic gadgets during takeoffs and landings.

That's not to say all uses would be OK or appropriate. Passengers still would not be able to surf the Web, download data or talk on the phone.

The government and the airline industry still have legitimate concerns about certain types of actions possibly interfering with sensitive cockpit equipment. That's why passengers are asked to turn off phones and other electronic devices during takeoffs and landings, the most critical phases of any flight.

But passenger-advocate groups have pushed for at least allowing people to read or work on what's already stored on the device, and that makes perfect sense.

The airline industry and airports have been saddled with many changes since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Security has been enhanced greatly, but many passengers feel their rights are being violated through the use of full-body scanners and pat-downs for those refusing the screenings. The recession also has taken its toll on the industry, and travelers have pushed for "a passenger bill of rights" after several horror stories of people being stuck on planes for hours and hours on the runway.

Amid this backdrop, FAA officials are considering the advisory committee's recommendations regarding electronic uses. The agency should make a decision as soon as possible. Allowing use of stored information on these devices sounds neither radical nor harmful, and the flying public could use a break.

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Editorial: Air passengers deserve a break

Let's face it: Flying is a drag. There are long waits at airports, fears about security, stress about making connecting flights, and concerns about luggage handling.